Math Activities with Pattern Blocks

Pattern blocks are helpful tools to create a plethora of hands-on math activities.  As I've noticed as a sub, pattern blocks are not just for students in first grade and below (as I previously assumed).  Activities with pattern blocks can be adapted to fit a wide range of skills and difficulty, strengthening geometric reasoning and spatial awareness.  Here are some activities and games students can enjoy:

• The Last Block is a 2-4 player game that challenges students to be the last player to place a block on the gameboard.  You can use this as a board for the pattern block game.
• FirstGradeParade adapted Musical Chairs into a game where students added blocks to the patterns created by other students.  This is a great way to get students up and moving while practicing with patterns!
• MathLearningCenter has free pattern block lesson plans to download and use in class.  Activities are suited for K-2 students.
• MarcialMiller lists several games and activities using pattern blocks.  Ideas include everything from working with tessalations, fractions, and making pictures of animals and flowers.

War: Math Card Game with Most Versatility?

Who knew one card game could be so versatile and useful in the math classroom?  LetsPlayMath shows us how one classic game, War, can be the template for a variety of math games.


Click the link to see how War can help students practice math skills ranging in vastly different levels of difficulty.  Younger students can play Addition War or Subtraction War, while more advanced students can use War to practice multiplication, fractions, and even logarithms.


I've seen Multiplication War played first-hand by a third grade class that had a lot of fun playing.  The teacher assigned a deck of cards to groups of 3-4 students, and the whole class played this way for 20-30 minutes.  You could also consider using just one deck of cards and allowing War as one of several math stations to which students rotate.


War is low-maintenance, easy to teach, and a good asset in building a quick recall of facts.  Go to the link to see descriptions of several versions of the game.

Practice Percents in This Online Game:

Another game, Penguin Waiter Percent Game, is Funbrain's method of sharpening students' skills with percentages.  The penguin arrives with the bill for the meal, for which students then calculate the tip.  They also have a range of difficulty with the problems, getting as complex as working backwards to calculate the total bill amount based on the tip left.

                                                                                                                  from funbrain.com

MATHO: Mental Math in a Fun Online Game

It's math game time!  I found a couple of impressive online games and thought that I'd share.


The first is Matho (math bingo), a perfect game to stimulate students' mental math skills.  Choose the operation (addition, subtraction, multiplication or division) and the difficulty level, or choose to set a custom range for the generated problems.  Then, students are challenged to race the timer and solve the problems, all while simultaneously trying to get bingo from the correct answers.  It's fun and addicting!

                         from aplusmath.com

MathMovesU: Middle-Grade Worksheets & Games

Middle-grade math teachers should visit MathMovesU because it has a lot of valuable tools for classroom use.
The coolest thing on MathMovesU is a set of games for students to both enjoy and practice math skills. They set it up so that you can play the game without registering, or you can register your class to use the games and quizzes for assessment grades.  
As students play, they get to explore themed settings with quizzes and games related to each location.  Themes range from travel to fashion to sports.
My favorite game here is the baseball game, which lets students practice their swing, and then answer questions about ratios, percents and proportion.  They can compare win/loss records and batting averages for their answers.
Another impressive game, The Sum of All Thrills, allows students to build their own thrill ride.
The website also includes an abundance of free, printable math worksheets from dozen of topics like algebra, ratios, fractions, geometry, etc.  The activities also include answer keys.

Math Centers: Elementary Geometry

Here are a couple of printable math centers made available thanks to Mathwire.  Both a useful for giving students practice with shapes as an introduction to geometry.


The first is a called a Polygon Quilt Game.  Students pair up, and each person picks one color to use in the quilt game.  They take turns coloring sections of the picture, one small triangle at a time.  The goal is to try to create larger shapes with their color.  After the quilt is completely colored in, students tabulate the points they earned based on the shapes they were able to create.  The more complex shapes are awarded more points.  Students will have to strategize to win this game.  Here is another site that explains the rules.


The second activity is similar, called Spider Web Map Coloring.   3-4 players play this game, and they have to use a labeled die that tells them how many spaces to color.  They can only color sections that do not share a side with one they've already colored (but the sections may share a corner).


A second version of the Spider Web Map is in the same file.  The same rules apply, except each section has a number assigned to it.  That number is the amount of points awarded for coloring that section, so students will have to add those numbers at the end to see their final score.


Try it!

image: microsoft

Math Center: Division Dash!

• Grade Level:  3-5, or any students needing to practice dividing two-digit numbers by a one digit number
• Operations:  division, and addition to determine points
• Materials:  cards numbered 1-9, score sheet, paper and a pencil
• Steps:
• The rules of the game are outlined in detail here.
• The basic idea of the game is for students to flip over three of the cards, which will be their two-digit dividend and their one-digit divisor.  (Let's say they flip over 5, 6 and 2.  They can divide 56 by 2.)  Students will find their quotient (ignoring remainders) and that will be their score.  After each turn, they add their quotients up for their new score.  The first person to reach 100 wins the game.  This is a two-person activity.
• Possible Extension:  
• Increase the number of numbered cards in the stack, and have students flip over more cards for two-digit by two-digit division, or larger problems.
• Add a timer.  Students have to reach 100 within a time limit, and each problem has to be accurate to win.

image:  microsoft

Fun Math Game: "Bizz-Buzz" (Practicing Common Multiples)

"Bizz-Buzz" is a more challenging version of "Buzz" and would be a good activity for students who've already mastered that game.


The same rules of that game apply to "Bizz-Buzz," only this time, students will be given two numbers.  When the group counts and one student reaches a multiple of the first number, they will say "bizz" instead. As in the first game, when a student reaches a multiple of the second number, they will say "buzz" instead. When a student reaches a common multiple of both numbers, they will say "bizz-buzz!" 


For instance, let's say your target numbers are 4 and 7.  When the group is going around counting, any student who is supposed to say 4, 8, 12, 16, etc. will say "bizz" instead of those numbers.  If a student is supposed to say 7, 14, 21, etc. when it is their turn, they will say "buzz."  The student who is supposed to say 28, however, should say "bizz-buzz."


Just like in the first game, if any student misses saying either "bizz," "buzz" or "bizz-buzz" at the correct time (or takes a long pause to figure out when they should say it), the entire group has to begin their counting over again with 1.  Counting continues as long as students say the right numbers or terms.


As you can see, "Bizz-Buzz" is a good way to practice common multiples, mental math and cooperative learning.  It may be difficult at first to keep up with the numbers mentally, but that's what makes it fun!


Give it a try and see how your class likes it!

Fun Math Game: "Buzz" (Practicing Multiples)

This is a fun math game that I witnessed being played while I subbed for a fifth grade class last year.  I was terribly amused by it and wanted to describe it for you all.  It's simply called "Buzz."


It's a great game because it helps kids practice multiples, and it's oral.  You don't need anything except for the kids to sit in a circle.


All you have to do is give them a number.  Let's say "7."  Choose someone to go first and they will start counting with 1, next person says 2, and the next person says 3, so on and so on around the circle.  The object of the game is to count quickly (have a nice rhythm going) and say "buzz" whenever you get to a number that is a multiple of the number you chose.  So once they get to 14, 21 or any other multiple of 7, that person will say "buzz" and the counting continues.


If the person forgets and says the number instead of "buzz," the round ends and they have to start the counting over at 1.  Counting also begins again if the person takes a long pause on their turn.  The counting should be automatic.  After several times around the circle, you can choose a new number.


The kids really enjoyed this game, and I did as well!  What usually happens is someone doesn't pay attention and forgets they are supposed to say "buzz."  Sometimes a kid won't realize a number is a multiple (especially if the counting goes on for a while and the numbers get high).  When someone messes up, everyone groans and laughs and begins again.  The goal is to try and keep the counting going for as long as possible, trying to beat the record for how long it can last.


This can be played with the whole class, like we did, or a small group.  Give it a try!

image:  microsoft

Math Center: "Zero Wins"

• Grade Level:  2nd-3rd
• Operations:  subtraction
• Materials:  3 dice, paper and pencil for each student
• Steps:  
• Students can work in partners or small groups.  They write "999" at the top of their paper.
• Each student will roll the three dice and form a number to subtract from 999 on their paper.  The goal is to be the first one to each zero because "zero wins."
• Students win when they reach exactly zero.  They can't go over.  That means when their number gets low enough, they can choose to roll just one or two dice to get exactly 999.  If their roll would make their number become less than zero, it's the next player's turn.  They can only win win they roll whichever number would give them exactly zero.
• Students should quickly pick up the goal is to subtract the largest number that can be created from their dice roll, which means choose the largest number for their hundreds place, the next largest number for their tens place, etc.  This game will give them a chance to practice subtraction with hundreds, and borrowing.
• Possible Extension:  
• Have students start with zero and add numbers to equal exactly 999.
• If you have enough dice for each student, you could turn this into a whole class game.  Have everyone write "999" and begin their dice rolls and subtraction at the same time.  The first one who reaches exactly zero wins.
• Source:  Envision Math

image:  microsoft

Cool Math Game: Conceptual Bingo

With summer approaching, I’ve decided to post about some of the coolest things I’ve encountered in classrooms this year.  As I mentioned when I began the blog, I actually keep an "idea notebook" and jot down any interesting books, resources, games, ideas, etc that I see at work (the Class-Build-a-Story came from this same notebook).  I started doing it long before I blogged because I wanted to keep these things in mind for my own classroom.  But I think they’re useful recommendations for all of you, too!  So, I’ll start posting some since I have barely touched on them so far.

This cool resource made my list just in the last couple of weeks.  It’s called Conceptual Bingo.  I’ve already made known my love for all things Bingo in classrooms, but I usually see Bingo used with words (like characters or social studies facts) or very simple arithmetic that helps young students.

Recently, however, I subbed in a classroom where I got a chance to experience Conceptual Bingo.  It’s a nice game that gave kids a chance to practice fractions (simplifying, finding equivalence, etc) and still enjoy a rousing game of Bingo.  The kids enjoyed it and actually had to have sheets of paper out to find their answers. They actually have to LISTEN in order to play.  This is the first time I’ve seen a Bingo game used for more advanced skills in math.  I really like the fraction one because you can use several calling cards for the same answer, and they got to practice simplifying, using mixed numbers and improper fractions, etc.

I’d recommend Conceptual Bingo for elementary and middle school students, depending on the skill being practiced.  I looked online and they have different skills for each game: whole numbers, money, time for basic skills; fractions and decimals for more advanced students; and even polynomials and rational numbers for introductory algebra skills.  This is a classic classroom game that kids love and could help them practice various math concepts.  If you have students with various abilities, using different games would help differentiation.  

If you’ve played Conceptual Bingo, how does your class like it?  

image:  microsoft Office

Teaching Tips of the Week (November 15-21)

1. If you're considering adding blogging to your classroom activities, make sure you visit TweenTeacher's thoroughly compiled list of tips for getting started.
2. Funbrain's Tic Tac Toe Squares online game is a great way for students to practice their mental math.  The game also makes differentiation simple because students can choose to practice everything from easy addition and subtraction facts to cubes and square roots.
3. Education Week has an article with several suggestions on how to use GPS in the classroom.  The device can be used to enhance several science activities, such as collecting data about the water quality of nearby streams.
4. Mighty Book has a lot of nice stories for young students, including animated storybooks and  animated stories written by children.  Students can read along and follow the words to each story and poem, making it perfect for a listening station.
5. Motivate a spirit of change in your school by entering the National Geographic Find Your Footprint Contest.  The contest calls for classrooms to research their school's environmental footprint and design a plan to improve its impact on the planet.  Prizes include interactive whiteboards, a classroom subscription to National Geographic Kids magazine, and a lot more.  The deadline is December 3, 2010!

                                                                    nationalgeographic.com

Teaching Tips of the Week (October 18-24)

1. If you're looking for a math game for your class, try Neopets' Math Nightmare, an amusing game that allows them to quickly type in the answers to addition, subtraction, multiplication or division problems before an alarm wakes up a cat.  There are different levels to the game, and it's a great way to practice mental math!
2. Here's another game for students to practice their subject/verb agreement:  Verb Viper provides sentences for students to choose the correct verb to feed the snake.
3. Assess your students' understanding of the three branches of government as they play The US Mint's Branches of Power Game.
4.  If you’re studying Native American tribes, use OurStory’s lesson that includes a reading guide to a Newberry Honor Book, and a chance for students to design their own Pueblo pot.
5. The Federal Trade Commission has a site, YouAreHere, designed for 5th-8th graders to learn about business markets, and how to be good consumers.  The site is designed as a virtual mall which highlights different aspects of business.  The West Terrace of the mall shows how to be savvy consumers who are aware of advertising techniques for products.

source:  YouAreHere

Teaching Tips of the Week (October 4-10)

1. Help students practice their math skills with a deck of cards instead of paper and pencil.  Here is a list of several math games to play simply using a deck of cards (via letsplaymath).
2. iCivics' Argument Wars is a great place for your students to practice applying their knowledge about the US legal system and the Constitution.  The online game gives them the chance to choose a character and argue actual Supreme Court cases.  Use the cases and information provided as a backdrop for some lively classroom debates, such as whether or not it should be Constitutional for schools to search students' belongings.  It's good practice for them to do what lawyers do:  build support for their arguments.  You can also listen to actual oral arguments in the cases.
3. TryScience's Extreme Challenge combines students' interest in extreme sports with science.  By exploring the site, they can learn why traveling on a snowboard in a crouched position is more aerodynamic for faster movement, or how fiber typing different muscles is important for athletes.  Then, they apply their science knowledge to compete in the online games!  Try the Quick Games to practice the challenges without registering.
4. Addition MATHO is an online game which allows students to practice basic addition to win a BINGO challenge.
5. StudentTreasures Publishing offers an exciting way to get your class motivated about writing.  Through their publishing service, you can guide your students in a writing process that culminates in an actual published, hardbound book!  The program offers a couple of free packages:  a class book where students can contribute a page, or a school-wide deal that offers $2,000 in free books.  See the site for more details and examples, like the ones shown below.